The Destruction of Her
by Rickosokay
Summary: I must destroy her, break her mind and corrupt her soul, For in doing so I will have full control of the jewel's power My plan will be flawless, now I just need to wait for the fly to land in my web, then Kagome's destruction will begin...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

This is not my first story I've made, but it is the first I put on here. I hope you all enjoy and if I get enough reviews I will put more of this story up, if not then I just won't. I want to know what you all think, and know if I should continue or not. I write my own stories and ideals and just so you all know, I do get some of my inspiration from other writers to help me. but I do not, I repeat I do not steal other's ideals... so thank you all (that did) for listening/reading my little note and please do enjoy story.

The Destruction of Her

Prologue

I Stare out at the land before me, it's a barren waste land, rotting trees spread out in the distance, patches of dead grass are strewn here and there, bones of many different creäture lay scatter all around. This use to be such a beautiful forest but thanks to my marvolus miasma it has become even more so. In my hand lays a tiny shard of the Shikon no Tama, taken from one of the worthless lower demons of this desert forest. Kanna stand silently behind me staring silently ahead no emotion whatsoever on her pale face, such a wonderful puppet she is, unlike her sibling  
Kagura, Now she hates me I very well know, She Hates me with every ounce of her being, heh... funny Irony is, she is made from my very flesh yet she wishes for my demise everyday by the hands of Inuyasha or Sessomaru, Sons Of The Inu no Taisho.

But the thing is her dreams are in vain, for they cannot defeat me, even if they were to join forces they would never hope to destroy me. Not even Kikyou has any hope of killing me...heh...heh...no she is not the one able to destroy me thou she believes herself to be so.

Kagome...

Now there the one who is my biggest enemy, the one I must destroy above all the others, for it is her power I truly fear the most, the purity deep within her soul is what I must get rid of If I ever hope to take the power of the Shikon no Tama fully as my own. For as long as Kagome remains pure so will the jewel's core no matter how much I try to taint it, for unlike Kikiyo, Kagome is the true protector of the Jewel. No one understands that not even my Incarnations, they all think that who ever the jewel is entrusted to is the guardian, which that was the case till my devious plan fifty years ago changed that theory entirety, for you see when Kikyo died at my hands she took the jewel with her to the after life, when she was reincarnated as Kagome the jewel was reborn in side of her making her the new creator of the jewel just like when the priestess who first created the Shikon no Tama was. Many will wonder how I know this bit of Information, how it is I, Naraku that came across this little trivia of knowledge that my enemies would never in a lifetime ever think to put together on their own. I can see Kagome coming to know this in time for when the time comes her true power will awaken as the knowledge of this  
Seeps in to her mind.

This is why I must destroy her, break her mind and corrupt her soul, No I will not kill her, for doing so will end her suffering before it has even begun, Death is not only to bring the end of someone's life, it is also an escape from the pain, suffering and cruelty of the living world, I want more than that for Kagome I want to watch her beg for death, pleads to the Gods above for a quick and merciful death. But instead of them granting her, her wish I will be there to edge her agony on till there is nothing left of her. Have her friends watch as I destroy her from the inside out. Gleefully smile as I watch the horror on Inuyasha's face as the woman he truly loves is slowly ate away by my malice and hate.

For in doing so I will have full control of the jewel's power and to watch the total destruction of my most dangerous opponent, and for an added bonus I get to bathed in the total despair that is of Inuyasha as I destroy him too by destroying Kagome.

My plan will be flawless, now I just need to wait for the fly to land in my web, then Kagome's destruction will begin...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or co.

I know my first chapter didn't give much details so I posted the second chapter up to see what you all think. I hope I get more reviews for this chapter so I know if I should continue on.

Chapter 2

'It all started here, under the branches of the Goshinboku. This is where I first met Inuyasha...'

The Sun bowed elegantly in the distance, it sphere of warmth disappearing beneath the blanket of trees surrounding the field the Goshinboku sat in.

Kagome slowly ran her fingers across the trunk of the tree, ever so slowly over a spot where the bark had been worn away by something lying against it for many years, to an area where a tiny hole marred the surface of the wood, where not that long ago an arrow had resided residents there with an Inu Hanyou pinned among its shaft right through the heart to the trunk of the sacred tree.

'Three years... three long years I've been coming here to the Sengoku Jida, how long I've been searching for the shards of the Shikon no Tama... It's also how long I've known... Inuyasha...'

The cool evening breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees giving them the look as if they were dancing to a silent tune humming through the air, Kagome gave a little shiver as she decided to step down form the overly overgrown roots at the base of the Goshinboku. Once down she began to adjusted the bow and arrows on her back as she made her way back to the small little village of Kaede on the out skirts of the forest.

She sighed as she slowly made her way through the forest that was known by its given name as Inuyasha's forest.  
That's all she seemed to be able to think about for the past couple of days was of Inuyasha. He had left two days ago on the leads of some rumors that a beautiful otherworldly Priestess with eel likes serpents floating around her was seen about a four days journey to the north on the out skirts of a small village known to be racked with an illness that was picking off the villagers one by one.

Many were saying it was the work of a demon, but others were saying it was the work of the otherworldly Priestess that must be a dark priestess causing the village to slowly die. Hearing the rumors Kagome and the others knew it wasn't Kikiyo that was causing the plague to hit the village, but when they heard a group of travelers about a days journey from Kaede's village were the gang was returning to, after from collecting two Shikon jewel shards from an badger demon terrorizing a local merchant community about a eight days walk to the west. Talking about how a bunch of the villagers of the disease racked village were going out to slay the dark priestess, Inuyasha's ears had perked up and an a panic expression had come across his face as he turned to the north and started heading to the village.

It took Kagome's yelling at him to wait up that had caused him to slow down and stop to turn around and look at the others that were making their way towards him. As Kagome continued her way down the path through the bushes and trees of the forest she recalled very clearly what had happened after that.

Flashback  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Inuyasha! Slow down wait for us!" Kagome hollered as she, Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippo took of after him.

He was a good two-football yards lengths away from them when he finally came to a stop. His shoulders were tense as he turned to look at them as they finally made there way over to him; his eyes were wide and frantic as the panic and anger shone brightly in them. The breath left Kagome's lungs as she saw how pained he looked, the usual Kikiyo inspired looked he'd get when ever he was thinking about her. He looked like a tiger ready maul its prey the way he was standing there waiting Impatiently for them to catch up. And to know the fact that, that look was on his face was because of Kikiyo, Well that hurt worse than the time she was stab in the back by her own arrow when the moon princess Kaguya has sent It backs at her when she had jump in front of Inuyasha to keep the arrow from killing him.

"Guys I don't want you to come with me, you will just slow me down and get in my way. I need to go on my own." Inuyasha growled out through clenched teeth and he turned his back on them as he fisted and unfisted his hands.

Sango, Shippo, Miroku and Kirara glanced over to the young miko as she gave Inuyasha an shocked looked before her face changed to one of anger.

"What you mean you don't want us to go with you!"

"It just like I said wench, you'll only slow me down I can make it there in two days if I go on my own." Inuyasha replied calmly. With that he took off not once looking back behind him for if he did he would have seen the look of a broken hearted women who was watching her love run to another women.

Kagome just looked at him as he ran off into the distance, it was like this every time, as soon as word of Kikiyo came around her and the others were forgotten as he ran off after her. There were times they would be happy for weeks, months even then as soon as he got word of the whereabouts of Kikiyo he was off faster than you could blink. It hurt it really did she knew he had made a promise to Kikiyo two years and a half ago to protect her but the true fact remained that he had promised her first, She also knew that It's was her fault that she felt this way. She had, had the chance to leave and avoid the pain she felt of Inuyasha running off to Kikiyo every time. But the thought of not being by his side hurt way more than watching him run after Kikiyo time and time again. That was why she had asked if she could stay, but it wasn't the only reason... no...

"Kagome?" Sango's voice was soft and hesitant. "Are you going to be okay?"

Brought out of her thoughts by Sango's voice calling her, she turned to look at her best Friend, the sister she never had and hoped to never lose. "Yeah I will be...is there something you need Sango?"

"No but it's almost dark and I think we should find a place to set camp for the night, we can make it to Kaede's by noon tomorrow if we set off early in the morning." Sango explained as she made her way over to Kagome, every move she made was hesitant.

Miroku nodded. "I agree, Lady Kagome there is no use of us to go pushing our selves when we can start off again in the morning, and besides Inuyasha must do what he thinks is right and won't be around to warn us if a demon decides to ambush us as we travel at night." He turned his head slightly to look at taijiya who was so very special to his heart standing next to Kagome. There eyes met as they gazed at each other.

Kagome sighed as she turned away from the two, she knew they didn't mean anything by what they were doing and she was truly happy for them but with they way she felt right now it only hurt see the love shining so brightly in their eye's even if they themselves couldn't see it. She could.

"Yeah we should, there was a great spot a little ways back down the road a bit we just passed. That should be a good spot to rest at till morning." She gestured at the road ahead. "Well I guess we should start moving then. Let's go."

End of Flashback  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That had been two days ago, so Inuyasha was bound to return any day now. She thought about going through the Bone eaters well when they had made it back to Kaede's, but she decided against it, she wasn't in the mood to be harassed by her little brother or Grandpa while she was there. Or also have to deal with school and her three friends trying to set her up with Hojo again. He was a nice boy; the kind of guy that could make a girl happy and could give them all the love they wanted but he just wasn't Inuyasha.

"Get a grip Kagome there are other things you should be thinking about beside Inuyasha." She muttered as she finally made her way out of the woods and headed to the village.

Things like how to defeat Naraku and what will happened once the Shikon Jewel is completed.  
She always thought about what she would do once the jewel was whole again and Naraku was defeated would she still be needed here? She knew Sango, Miroku, Kaede, Shippo and Kirara would welcome here with opened arms to stay in the Sengoku Jida, but what about her family on the other side of the well? What would they say if she decided to stay 500 years in the past and never returned? No Kagome wasn't dumb she knew that when the jewel was completed and wished on that the well would close, no matter what side she was on. She wasn't going to sit in denial and hope that the well would still work and she could travel back and forth between times when ever she felt like. No whatever side she was on when the well closed that would be the side she would remain the rest of her life in.

'I love Mama, Sota and Grandpa very much, but I don't think I could make it over there anymore for the rest of my life. Sure I can get a job and work...but it just wouldn't be home to me over there and my heart wouldn't be in it and I can't leave Inuyasha.'

She knew her mother would be sad if she stayed in the Sengoku Jida but her mother would understand why Kagome could not, would not return she knew where Kagome's heart lied, it lied in the hand of a wild half dog demon with golden amber eyes and long slivery white hair with two cute but adorable dog ears on top of his head.

Would he even want her to stay?

"Great I try to think about something else and it always leads back to him." Kagome huffed as she made her way into the village. Night had already fallen and the moon was shining brightly in the sky, it beautiful glow casting a dim light over the village. Kagome looked up at the night sky and saw a shooting star fall from its perch among the heavens, trailing a misty path in its wake. The fading light of the star spoke to her as it made its way across the starry night sky to disappear on what looked like the edge of the sky as it made its decent to the other side of the world. It spoke to her of a fairy tale wish, hidden still with the back of her mind. A wish she had made only a year ago only moments before Kaguya had attacked them and then swept her away with an arrow in her back.

"I wish he would love me."

But life was no fairy tale and even though she was living one, it was far from one to her. 'I love him and I want him to love me but I want to see him happy more so than I want him love me and if it' Kikiyo then I'll support him, even if it kills me.'

Yeah it would kill her but she would rather die than see Inuyasha unhappy because of her she knew he loved the undead Priestess and that being with her is what made him happy, that was why she never said anything when he ran off to see Kikiyo, that's was why when he was gone she let the tears fall she would never ever want him to see.

'No matter what I do it will end the same, if I stay it will kill me and if I go it will kill me, I'll always be bound to him whether it is here or 500 years in the future, I'm tied to him and if he chooses Kikiyo and goes to hell with her I'll be bound to follow him there as well.' For Kagome she had no life outside of Inuyasha wereever he went Kagome would always follow.

"So it's stay or go those are my choices after the jewel is complete, but it doesn't matter both choices will be the same. They'll end in heartache."

With that last thought she made her way into Kaede's hut, Kaede was sitting next to a large pot over the fireplace stirring some rabbit stew she had been preparing earlier that day before Kagome had left to take a walk to the Goshsinboku. There also sitting around by the fire was a snoring Shippo lay curled up next to a sleeping Kirara. On the other side was Sango eating a bowl of rabbit stew with a scowl on her face, sitting a little to her left was Miroku eating himself a bowl himself. Kagome couldn't help but stifle a giggle at the very sight of a red handprint on the right side of his cheek and him having a silly little grin on his face.

"Aye Kagome child ye are back I see, I just finished making the stew, help ye self to some." Kaede replied as she finished stirring the food.

"Thanks Lady Kaede." Kagome said as she got her self out a bowl and went over to sit by Shippo and Kirara.

"Was your walk of any help Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked as he set his bowl down in front of him and look towards her.

"Yeah, it was just what I needed thank you for asking Miroku." Kagome avoided looking him directly in the eyes by keeping her eye's to the floor, she didn't want him to see how far from the truth that lie was.

Miroku saw right through it but he decided to change the subject he knew how difficult it was for her to watch Inuyasha chase after Lady Kikiyo all the time. " Lady Kaede said that there is a rumor of a demon to the south of here going on a killing spree with many jewel shards in their possession to the many villages in that area, three of the villages have already been wiped out." His tone was grave a shadow look came across his face as he told this. Sango had the look across her face as well.

Kagome look up at the both of them. The first thought that came to her mind was of one person.

"Do you think its Naraku?"

"I wouldn't doubt it, that slimly Bastard hasn't shown his face in months and we've only been finding one or two shards here and there, then out of the blue a demon with a lot of shards show up destroying villages. It has to be him." Sango replied as she gazed in the flame of the fire in the middle of the hut. The thought of Kohaku was on her mind and what that good for noting lowlife Narkau was making him do. It had been almost two years since her family was murder by Naraku; two years since Kohaku was brought back as Naraku's puppet do his dirty work. She hated it, the fact that Naraku was using her little brother to kill innocent people, having him fight her whenever they crossed paths then taunting her on what her brother had done. She sat her bowl of stew down as she clenched her fists in pain and anguish.

'I swear Naraku I will make you pay for what you've done to Kohaku make not mistake of that.' She was brought out of her thought by a hand being placed on her shoulder, looking over she saw Miroku staring at her with a look of understanding in his eyes. He knew what was going across her mind and was hoping that his touch would calm her down... the funny thing is it worked.

Watching Sango as her eyes filled up with pain it had tore at Miroku's heart, Naraku had played dirty when he had use Sango's little brother to be sure that he was causing her some form of suffering. And it just didn't sit well with him to see that look of such rage on Sango's beautiful face, so by placing his hand on her shoulder he had hope that it would calm her down. He was glad it worked. He knew Sango loved him, she had agreed to marry him once Naraku was gone he just hoped she still felt that way once this was all over. He knew he pissed her off when he would go flirt with other women, knew it hurt her. That was why he had stop to were it was almost never that he would woo a women, He still had a problem with the grouping though, that's why when ever he got the itch it was Sango's lovely behind that was the poor victim of his cursed hand. Unless he was trying to get them a room at a inn but mostly him lying and fake exorcising a demon would work for that, it was more for the trick of getting more free food were his charm would come in then well...

"I think we should go take care of the problem, if it's a demon with jewel shards we need to get them and if its Naraku we still need to be there. I know Inuyasha not here right now but we can't put this on hold till he gets back we might not get this chance again to go after Naraku anytime soon and I for one don't want to let the chance past up. What do you guys say?" Kagome was frowning as she said this, she was not going to let Inuyasha's little detour stop her and the other from pursuing Naraku they had as much against the dark spider hanyou as he did as well.

"I agree with ye, the closer ye come to finding him, the closer ye be to destroying him." Kaede voiced in after quietly listening on the conversation.

"Yeah I say we go as well, letting him get away again doesn't sit well with me." Sango answered as she moved over to the wall left of the entrance of the hut to lay down for the night.

"So it's settle then, tomorrow we head south to were the rumors of the demon are, then we'll go from there." Miroku replied as he moved over to lay on the bedroll next to Sango's.

Lady Kaede watch as Kagome got up and put the dirty bowls over to the side for her so she could take them out tomorrow down to the river to clean in the morning before she and the rest headed out. As soon as she was done with that she gave Lady Kaede a faint smile and said a guick goodnight and laid down on her sleeping bag, bringing the little fox kit and fire cat closer to her as she when to sleep for the night. Lady Kaede knew that the events from two days earlier were still bothering Kagome, the fact that the thing that claimed to be her sister was the one that brought so much heartache to one of such purity as Kagome was a sad thing indeed to see.

'If only Inuyasha would realize that the person who was once my sister has been gone for fifty years and that this thing that looks like her is not but a shadow of her, then maybe he'd would come to realize where his true loyalty needs to be placed. For I sense great danger is on the horizon and very soon I believe Kagome will need him now more so than ever before.'


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha that belongs to the creator I'm just using them to in this story, but this story and Yamai and other made up charater not of the original Inuyasha universe are mine.

Author's note: Sorry that didn't post this up sooner! I just finsihed at like 1 a.m. this morning and I was tired. The truth isthis story wasn't plan out I'm just writing it as I go. so if there something you have an ideal on and would like to share it with me feel free to do so! I hope you all enjoy! and leave me some reviwes! I still want to know what you all think of this story!

The Destruction of Her

Chapter 3

Inuyasha was pissed, not just angry pissed; no he was ready to kick some ones ass pissed.  
He had made it to the disease racked village about three days ago ( it took him longer than two days like he had told Kagome because he had been checking out the area as he made his way west to see if maybe Kikiyo was by chance heading this way fleeing from the village.) looking for signs of Kikiyo and had not found a trace of her anywhere around the out skirts of the village not even a trace of her graveyard soil and bones scent lingered, indicating that she had been any were near the area at all. When he had made his way in to the village, (He didn't have to worry about catching anything from the humans thanks to the demon blood in his veins it made him almost immune to all human diseases.) for some answers about the mob forming that was suppose to go after Kikiyo (The dark priestess as they put it) and slay her, Many of the people who were not sick yet wouldn't as so much as give him a side ways glance as they rushed back a forth trying to help the sick and bury the dead. Then many of villagers that were sick or on the verge of becoming sick started screaming that he was the demon that had brought the plague on their village. Many of them had stopped what they were doing and had come at him ready to take his head off.

Noting wanting to harm or deal with the crazy sick delusional villagers, Inuyasha had fled the village. But still needing answers as to where the hell Kikiyo was and wanting to find answers as soon as possible he quickly expanded his search to a ten-mile radius outside the village in each direction. He first headed east.

'Damn it, I hope I Find Kikiyo fast I have to make sure she alright.'

He needed to make sure Kikiyo was all right he just couldn't turn his back on her, there was no question about it he couldn't fail her for in doing she would end up paying the price. Naraku wanted her dead he had made it very clear when that time he had stab her with one of his tentacles and had sent a good amount of his miasma in to the wound he had inflicted on her. If it weren't for Kagome, Kikiyo would have die that time at the hands of that monsters again.

'Kagome'

He knew he had made her upset when he had told her he had wanted to go alone to find Kikiyo, knew that it had hurt her deeply. That was why he had tured away from here and went on He didn't want to have to argue with Kagome, the look of sadness that had been on her face when she had made her way towards him had been too much for him to bear. He had hope that by taking off without a word he would not have to deal with the pain look Kagome would give him till he got back. But he should have known she would follow him, try to help him out even when he didn't need it.

It was in her nature to try to help people out even if it someone she really didn't feel comfortable around like Kikiyo. He knew how much Kagome hated to be in close encounter with the dead priestess, how there was such a thick cloud of uneasiness in the air when the two mikos met. Inuyasha had not been there at the time when Kagome had saved Kikiyo but he did remember that after chasing and looking for Kagome worried to death as to where she was at and what had happened to her. He had stumble upon her sitting alone by a pool of water with a waterfall flowing in to it with a bitter look on her face, the scent of Kikiyo had been strong in the air, he remember looking around to see it her could fine any traces of her around.

Inuyasha put his thoughts on hold for a minute to look around the area for any signs that Kikiyo had been through here, when he saw none he turned back and headed in the opposite direction.

He also remembered the look Kagome had on her face when she was telling him that Kikiyo had just left and that maybe if he hurried he could catch up with her. He had in return told her that if Kikiyo was fine then he didn't need to see her. Inuyasha hated thinking about it he really did but right after that Kagome had looked at him with such pain filled eyes and told him she hated him.

That had been something he never wanted to hear come from Kagome's lips ever again no matter how long he lived. Those words had ripped right through him; it had felt like Kagura's dance of winds attack had been slicing him on his already scared and wounded heart when Kagome had said those words to him.

He had known why she had said it, why she had told him she hated him, It had been her way of trying to say that she didn't care about him, that watching him chase after and worry about Kikiyo did not effect her when in truth it clearly did. But Inuyasha had saw through the lie and even while the words had stung and he never wanted to hear her say them again he knew that they were not the truth and that she still loved him. He knew Kagome thought he loved Kikiyo and the truth was at one time he did and in his own way he still did, but as time went on and the more time he stayed and spent with Kagome the more he realized that the love he had felt for Kikiyo was noting like what he felt for Kagome, with Kagome he could understand what it was like to have someone love him unconditionally. Someone who didn't care that he was half human and half demon, Some one that saw him Inuyasha, not the Inuyasha the hanyou.

No, the love he felt for Kikiyo was the same kind of love he felt for Miroku, Kirara, Sango, and even the fox brat Shippo. The love of friends, it was more like a pack brother and sister kind of deal, that was what he felt for Kikiyo, the love of a sister, a friend.

But with Kagome it was different, yes she was his friend but he wanted more than that with her, when he had first met her he had thought she was Kikiyo but he then he had found out real quick that she wasn't. Then after that he had been released from the Goshinboku and had try to steal the jewel from her. He winced a little at that, thinking how he had almost sliced her with his claws if wasn't for her tripping over her feet….. He shuddered just thinking about it. After that she had shattered the jewel in attempt to get it back from the caron crow that had swallowed it. He chuckled to him self about that, he remember how piss he had been at her for doing that. Now he was glad she had for it had sent them on a three-year quest to recover the jewel fragments that were scattered across Japan and it had given him chance to really get to know Kagome.

But still even after they had set out on their quest he had kept her at a distance out of fear that she would be just like Kikiyo, It wasn't till that time she had stood up against Sessomaru in his fathers remains then had drew the Tessaiga from its pedestal and handed it to him and had encouraged him to stand and fight against him, Sessomaru his full-blooded demon brother, never had anyone ever encouraged him, believe in him the way Kagome had believed in him that day. Then another time had been when he had been dying from the spider head poison on his human night and watching Kagome cry over him, did he realize she was noting like Kikiyo. That had been when he had slowly started to let her in slowly starting to fall for her, then the events with Kikiyo being brought back to life had taken place and chaos had insured after that making his emotions run wild with slowly growing feelings for Kagome building up and old feelings for Kikiyo. The hurt and betrayal he had felt when Kikiyo had deceived him and the feeling of affections he had felt for her was a lot to take in. Then Naraku had come into the picture after that and the truth was then revealed that he was the one behind both his and Kikiyo 's betrayal.

After that Kikiyo had stolen the shards from Kagome and then gave them to Naraku but not before she had tried to kill Kagome, That was probably one of the things Inuyasha would never forgive Kikiyo for trying to do not matter that fact he did promise to protect her. He remember when he had made that promise to protect her it had been the time the giant soul stealer that Naraku had sent after Kikiyo had come and almost got her. He had killed it then had confronted Kikiyo and she had then drawn a knife to his throat, when she had pulled it away he had pulled her in a tight hug and had promised to always protect her. It wasn't till after she had left that Inuyasha had heard a noise behind him and turned to fine Kagome standing there looking at with such sorrow in her eyes. He hadn't said anything to her, he had just stared at her and told her with his eyes what he couldn't say. He knew she knew what he meant cause slowly she had back away and then had turned and fled towards the bone eater well.

Over the next course of that week he had finally come to realized how important Kagome was to him , the funny thing was it had taken Kagome being gone for a week and him swearing him self to Kikiyo,. He had never wanted to beat the shit out of him self more so than he had wanted to do so right then and there. He had fully expected her to stay away and give up on him. He knew it wasn't fair to ask her to stay with the vow he made to Kikiyo in the way; it just wasn't fair to her. But how badly he did want to, he had never in his life wanted to do anything more than to ask her to stay.

When he had found her sitting on the well, something inside him had broke, knowing that he had to let her go was more than he could bear. But he had to do it for honor sake, cause with out it he had noting. That was why as tore up as he was at the thought of losing Kagome had been heart wrenching. It had felt like heaven had fallen into his lap with she ask if she could stay with him. Then she had took his hand in hers and there had never been anything more wonderful than the knowledge that she didn't want to leave him that she would take his claw hand in hers with no fear what so ever of him hurting her and make him a promise to always try and bring him some happiness in his life. The words were not spoken out loud but they didn't need to be, Inuyasha had heard them loud and clear in the way she had looked at him when they had made it to the top of the hill leading down into the village.

He knew how much it hurt Kagome every time he ran off to go see the undead women, How she thought that as he went to see her it was so, so he could also spend time with the older priestess while he check in on her when ever she came by and such, but Kagome had told him once that she understood why he went, understood why he always went when Kikiyo called or was in trouble. But she also thought he went was because he was still in love with Kikiyo but like what he thought earlier it wasn't because of that, It was because he owed it to Kikiyo, yes he might not have been the one that killed her but it was unfair to her for to have died at such a young age and while only he was pinned to a damned tree for Fifty years! It was unfair to her to continue to live a life with out at least trying to protect her in this new life of hers.

But again it didn't mean he went out of love, no he went cause he didn't want to see a friend suffer at the hands of Naraku again or for her to lose her life again.

Lost in his thoughts Inuyasha didn't realized it till he had almost ran into it that there was a demonic barrier blocking his path of the trail in front of him.

"What the Fuck?" When he looked closer he could see that behind the barrier was a rather large demon standing there with an all-fanged bared grin on his face as he watched Inuyasha almost run face first in to his barrier.

He was probably one of the creepiest looking demons Inuyasha had ever seeing in his 200 and odd years of life as he study him. He was large, muscular, and fat, with tanned scales covering his body and squat horns sprouting from his forehead. He also had two short but deadly looking curved horns on his chin that gave him the appearance that he had a beard. His hind feet were hoof like, and he had an overly long large tail at his posterior. Barbed at the tip. His eyes were like Smokey quartz shielding an internal lava flow, emitting a dull red light that brightened when his attention warned to something.

"Ah, I see the little dog has finally shown up, I was getting so bored standing here waiting for you. I was almost tempted to go back to that puny little village down the road and watch as my beautiful disease and illness finished picking off those retched humans one by one." The demon chuckled as what looked like a wisp of smoke curled its way out of his mouth as he spoke.

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga as he regarded the demon the fact that he was the one causing the villagers to get sick and die was just one of the thing bothering him the other was the fact that this demon knew he was coming. "So you're the one causing the village to be wiped out, so the rumors where true it is a demon causing the illness."

"Yes I am Yamai Demon of disease and illness my specialty is spreading disease and chaos where ever I go. The joy it brings to me to watch as the living body of creatures are devour from the inside out sends a unspeakable tingle through my spine." The blue tip of Yamai's forked tongue rasped out over his lips as his tail flicked with delight of just thinking about his doings.

"You're a sick bastard Yanay, Yabae, or what ever the hell your name is! All I want to know is how you knew I was coming." It was disturbing listening as this demon describe how he got joy out killing innocent people, lifting Tessaiga up he pointed it at Yamai's direction to emphasize his point.

"Why by my master of course he told me you would be coming to the area around this little village looking to save your little undead miko from the wrath of a sick plague village, so he order me to wait for you here you see." The smirk Yamai had on his face was of one of someone saying I know something you don't know, and it was seriously starting to piss Inuyasha off.

"Well fuck you and your master I've got better things I need to do then to stand around here all day talking to your fat ass. So why don't we get this over with so I can be on my way, Also by killing your ass I'll also be doing that village a favor while I'm here."

" Flattery will get you no where Inuyasha except your gut run through by my claws and fangs." Yamai chuckled as he held his claws up and let the sun shine on them giving them an even more menacing glow as he stare right in to Inuyasha's eyes and watched as surprise flash through them.

"Just how the hell do you know who I am? And who the hell is just you master anyway! And just how the fuck do you know Kikiyo!?" 'Damn something's not right this Yamai guy was here waiting for me by some order his master gave him and the guy knows about Kikiyo too! and there's no sign of her anywhere just what the fucks going on around here!'

" I know every thing about you Inuyasha, brother of Lord Sessomaru of the western lands and younger son of the Inu no Taisho, tricked and betrayed by the women he supposedly loved, then sealed to a tree for fifty years only to later find out that they both had been deceived, and it is all thanks to my master Naraku, he gave me and my brothers a very good little biography about you and your friends." Yamai's Smokey red eyes gleamed in amusement as he watched the look of shock run across Inuyasha's face.

"Naraku!?"

'So he has finally come out of hiding eh? And this demon Yamai is one of his new incarnations? And by what this he has told me he has two brothers as well so that means Naraku has been busy while he's been hiding…But wait he said that Naraku knew I would be coming this way to find to find Kikiyo how the fuck would he know that….unless…..this….was…..a…..Oh Shit!'

The look that came to Inuyasha's face was to much for Yamai to bear and he let out a bellow of a laugh that sent the smoke like stuff out of his mouth into the air causing the leaves in the trees above to wither and die and brought down a few different kind of animals living in the trees down around him, all withering and gasping for their breath.

"Yes! Yes! I can see from the look on your face, you've realized that the rumors of your dear Kikiyo being attacked were false and that this is a trap! There hasn't been no sign of that dead women being seen around anywhere for the past few months, funny she almost as good at hiding her self as my master is."

Gazing at the animals on the ground around Yamai's feet, Inuyasha finally realized that the smoke that came out of his mouth when he spoke was no ordinary smoke but in fact a mist form of one of the many diseases Yamai could spread around to others. Knowing now that bit of information he knew he need to be careful to avoid getting that stuff in his face as he looked back up and regarded the demon before him.

"Okay so what! Naraku wanted you to spread rumors of Kikiyo being attacked so that I would come here so you could what? Try and destroy me with out my friends around to back me up? Well I'm sorry to disappoint you but I can take care of myself. And for a puny demon like you I could take you down by myself even if they were here."

"Yes this was all a plan by my glorious master Naraku but not for you, never for you. You were just a little pawn that needed to be gotten out of the way so that my two brothers Kunou and Bakeru could do their jobs with out a pesky little Inu demon getting in their way."

'Their jobs? The only people Naraku would want to get me away from would be…'

"Kagome…'

"Now you understand it was all a set up. By me spreading my diseases to that village, Naraku was able to get a rumor started and going around that a priestess with glowing serpents was seen around these parts. By making every one believe that she was a dark miko, he was able set it up to where it was told that a small group of men were going to set out to slay the undead one in the hopes of stopping the plague. By making sure that this rumor reached your ears Naraku hypnotized a few travelers heading your way and had them talking about it. He knew you would come, with out a second thought what so ever on your mind he knew you would leave Kagome behind all alone and look for Kikiyo. In that process Master Naraku also got another rumor going around for the ears of your dear friends to hear that a demon to the south of here was destroying many villages in that area, and that had in their possession many shards of the Shikon Jewel. Knowing that your pack would go to collect the shards he set my two brothers there to wait for them. Once the Monk and Exterminator are taken care of and out of the way then my brothers will help Kagome understand the true reality that is of life, show her that there are thing much worser than death. So you see? I am here to keep you away from you're precious miko, the one called Kagome is it? The real trap is for her." The look of horror that appear on the Inu hanyou face was almost as enjoying to Yamai as it was for him to watch one of his victims have fevered fits as one of his many diseases ate away at them.

He couldn't move, couldn't breath, he couldn't even speak as the absolute panic ran through his entice body and took over him. He had to be wrong, Kagome was okay, she was safe there was no way her and the others would go after a demon with that many jewel shards in their possession, there was just no way.

"NO! You're wrong Kagome would never try to take on a demon with that many shard by herself never! Miroku and Sango would never let her!"

"Ah but you forget half-breed. That monk and Exterminator have a bone to pick with Naraku themselves and the knowledge that a demon with that many shards is close by and that Naraku is collecting the shards as well. Well you can't really blame them for wanting to get them before he does. But I bet they are not fools they know as well as you that my master has most of the jewel shard so a demon with that many must be working for Naraku of it is him, himself." Watching as the Inu hanyou start the tremble Yamai couldn't help but push him a little further.

"Hmmm… I wonder, has you little miko made it there yet? And if she has I wonder what she thinks of the special treatment my brothers are giving her? It's too bad I get to miss out on all the fun, but somebody had to do the dirty work of keeping you here so I got stuck with you. Oh well once I'm done here I'm sure I can make it there in time to help finish up what my brothers have started but if not…." The gleam that came in to Yamai eyes and the smile that came to his face was an almost taunting look as he gaze at the still trembling hanyou standing but only a feet from him, the only thing standing in between them was Yamai's barrier. " I can always get my chance later."

His anger finally snapped hearing that bag of shit talk about what his brothers and him were going to do to Kagome had set Inuyasha over the edge. letting out a primal scream of rage he charged toward Yamai, raising Tessaiga high over his head he unleashed the red Tessaiga on the barrier, then raised the sword again.

"WINDSCAR!"

Waves of light and wind rushed towards Yamai, but he just gave a little smirk and dissolved into a vapor of mist. When the dust had cleared away Inuyasha lowered The Tessaiga and looked around and saw no sign of Yamai anywhere.

"Fucking bastard I knew he was all talk couldn't even stand up against one blast of my Wind scar."

"I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatched half- breed." Yamai chuckled near his ear.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha growled angrily, whirling around he found the damn bag of illness jump back away from him as he swung the Tessaiga around to strike him.

"Now, Now that's not fair you got two shot at me and I've had none at you. I believe it's now my turn." As soon as he said that two swords appeared out of now where in to his hands they both had jagged edges with green ooze seeping out of them. From what Inuyasha could smell they reeked of illness and death.

"Say hello two my two best friends Ya and Mai these sword seep infection into any wound they caouse on their adversaries and today is your lucky day! You get to be their first victim they had in a while."

With that Yamai sped towards him with unbelievable speed. Inuyasha was taken off guard for a few seconds by Yamai's speed, he didn't think he be so fast with how fat the demon was but he was proven wrong. Throwing up Tessaiga he blocked the two swords coming down on him towards his head. With a clang of theirs swords hitting each other Yamai used his overly large weight to over power Inuyasha causing him so slowly sink to the ground on to his knees.

Sword still posed over his head to keep the twin swords from coming down and turning him in ribbons Inuyasha used every bit of strength he could muster to push Yamai off him but to no arrival. Yamai just chuckled as he slowly put more pressure down on Inuyasha.

"Not so tough now are you hanyou? See how easily I can over power you with out even trying. There is no way you can defeat me, I could kill you right here and now if I wanted to, but that's not what my master wants. He wants you alive and well for reasons I don't know but he just does."

"Bastard! I'll fucking kill you!" Inuyasha roared as he slowly lowered his left hand over to his right arm still holding the Tessaiga. With a hard grip to his forearm he drew blood and released it in Yamai's direction.

"BLADES OF BLOOD!"

With a roar of pain Yamai quickly jumped away from Inuyasha holding on to his chest where Inuyasha attack had landed. When he did that Inuyasha took the opportunity to jump up and released another Wind scar.

"WINDSCAR!"

"FOOLISH HALF-BREED!"

Light and wind again rushed toward Yamai but unlike before he stood his ground and raised his swords in the form of an X in front of him and released a blast of power of his own.

"VOID OF BLACK HAZE!"

Burst of black smoke rose out from his swords up into the air and shot forward towards Inuyasha's Wind scar wrapping it up like a black blanket it slowly started to twist and twirl around it creating a small whirlwind that was slowly rising up off the ground. Then all of a sudden it just started to pull inward to its self as it continued to spin then it just disappeared in thin air.

It was quiet as Inuyasha stared in shock at what had once been his wind scar you could see were it had tore into the ground as it made its approach to it target then just cut off as it was pulled in Yamai's black haze attack. It was mind numbing that such a thing had happen never had Inuyasha's attacks ever be abruptly cut off before like that and then just made to completely vanish in to thin air it was a shock to the system.

"I tier of playing games hanyou, I have other things that need gotten too and you are wearing my patients thin." Yamai growled out. Blood was still oozing from the wound on his chest as he slowly made his way to Inuyasha.

"Bring it on you ass hole I've got better things to do myself than fuck with you all day!" Inuyasha yelled as he got in a fighting stance again.

"Even if you were to leave now hanyou you won't make it in time to save her as I have heard she and your little friends left yesterday to the south and it's a four days journey to were my brothers are. By the time you get back to your little home village and start from there you are still about five days behind them. And even if you used the full extent of your demon speed you'll still be three days behind. Yamai replied as he got in a battle stance as well.

"If your brothers so much as lay a hand on her I'll rip them apart!" Inuyasha rushed forward with Tessaiga raised ready to slice Yamai's head off, he had to hurry and end this quickly, Kagome needed him, the panic he had, had earlier had not fully went away while he was in battle and he knew that if he failed Kagome by not making back in time it would be a unforgivable at of betrayal. All because he had rushed off after Kikiyo again Kagome was going to pay the price, he should have learned his lesson that time when Naraku had Kagome kidnap and tried to impure her soul by letting the infant read her darkest desires. He had been very paranoid to leave Kagome after that even now so to as well when he had left her three days ago, but like he had thought earlier he couldn't turn his back on Kikiyo too. It was just something he couldn't live with doing. But how many times had he left Kagome to the wolves to go rush off after Kikiyo? Too many to count he knew. If he didn't make it back in time to save her he would never forgive himself.

Yamai swung his large barb tail around and slammed it into Inuyasha's side, earning a cry from him as he was knock to the ground. Making his way over to the injured hanyou he bent down to were the start of his shins were at eye level with Inuyasha and raised the butt of one of his swords in the air and quickly brought it down on the back of Inuyasha's head.

"Sleep tight half-breed when you wake up it will be to late for Kagome." With that he turned and made his way south, maybe if he was lucky he get to have some fun with Inuyasha's little miko before they were through with her.

Just before Inuyasha slid into unconciseness one thought entered his mind.

'I'm sorry Kagome, Please forgive me, I failed you.'


	4. Chapter 4

Author note: I am so sorry that it's been three months almost four since I last updated! I hope you all can forgive me for taking so long to update. I've had a bunch of stuff going on at home and I've also had writers block for this story and I've not really worried about getting back to it till I got some more ideals flowing in my head.

But one thing I will tell you all is that I don't care how long it takes me and what comes my way (Beside death.) I will finish this story. I hate leaving a story unfinished and I hate to read a story that is unfinished. So don't think I've given up on this story cause I have not. It's just I'm writing this story as I go and some times I just write my thoughts down then go back and change it if I don't like it, so it takes me awhile to get the results I'm going for.

Please leave a review I really want to have your guys thought on this so far. and if you have a bad thought about this please just say you don't like it and move on I hate it when people just cuss me out and shit and tell me how bad I suck at writing stories and that I should quit. I don't say stuff like that to other writers and I don't want anyone saying It to me. Thank you for your time for reading this note...and on with the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and all its characters it all belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Only Yamai, Kunou and Bakeru belong to me for they are my OC characters.

Chapter 4

Kagome sat alone at the top of a hill, down below her lay the small camp they'd made as soon as the sun had set on the second day of their travel. Her, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara had left Kaede's village the morning before right after breakfast, knowing that they had a four-day journey ahead of them. She had made Shippo stay behind for his own safety, but not before he had thrown a fit claiming he could help. With the promise of candy and many other sweets from her time and that she needed him to protect the village. Shippo had agreed with no further mention about going with them.

It had been four days now since Inuyasha had left them, and she idly wonder how long he would be gone for. She knew it would take him a few days to make it back to Kaede's, but she didn't know how long he would decide to stay gone with Kikiyo though.

The stars shone brightly over head, their twinkling light drawing Kagome's eyes to them every now and again. Kagome had always loved the stars ever since she had started coming to the Sengoku Jida unlike her time were all the lights blocked out the natural light of the stars, they seem to always speak to her whenever she was feeling down or upset. When she thought about it, she guessed it was because she could relate to them. They seem like they were so alone up there in the night sky, with the stars having so much vast distances between one of them and the next, it reminded her that there was such a great distance between her and her heart. Sometimes she thought how could she still care with that so much distance between them.

Sighing, she toyed with a tip of her index finger as she continued to gaze up at the stars. 'Am I really only eighteen years old? I feel as though I've seen a thousand years past me by. What happed to me being a carefree young woman to becoming an old hag in an eighteen year old's body?'

Chuckling darkly to herself she turned her gaze to back in front of her as she took in the vast beauty of the landscape around her. The Sengoku Jida really was more beautiful compared to modern day Japan, with cars and tall building all around there was hardly any of the country side left to enjoy in Kagome's time. While here it was all mostly forests, mountains and fields, you could enjoy the beauty of nature all around you here, unlike 500 years in the future.

"Kagome?"

Kagome started at the sound of Sango's voice calling her, turning her head slightly in Sango's dirction she gazed at the Taijiya letting her know she was listening.

"I just wanted to let you know dinner is ready if you wanted to come down and eat." Sango looked over the form of her best friend and could notice right off that something was bothering Kagome, and she had a pretty good ideal it was because of a temperamental hanyou by the name of Inuyasha.

" Thanks Sango I'll come eat in a little bit." Kagome sighed as she turned away from the Taijiya.

Sango moved forward and sat down next to Kagome, She stare out ahead of her like Kagome was doing as well while she spoke.

" Want to talk about it?" She glanced over at Kagome out of the corner of her eye. " It might help to get it off your chest."

Kagome looked over at her friend, smiling slightly. "Not really no, but then again I don't think talking about my problems is going to make me feel any better as to how I feel right now.

"Maybe not but its no good to just hold it all in like that. Maybe just ranting about it could help."

Kagome just shook her head and smiled a little wider. "Rant about what Sango? Inuyasha? What's the point, this isn't the first time he's run off after Kikiyo and it sure as heck won't be the last. He cares about her so when words come that she around he goes off after her. It's that way it's always been and it's the way it will always be." She let out a deep sigh then, one that spoke more than words ever could.

Sango placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder softly. "He cares for you too…. you know it's not that hard to see, we all know he does."

She hung her head as a shaky breath escaped past her lips and a few tears left her closed eyes. "Perhaps, but not the way I wish him to, not the way I need him to. Lifting her head up to gaze back up at the stars, she let the tears fall freely from her eyes. "I don't know what to do Sango I'm trapped, between wanting to stay by Inuyasha's side after the Jewel is complete or just leaving and taking what little bit of my heart I have left with me before it becomes cracked and bruised like the rest of it already is."

Sango regarded her friend with a look of sadness and somewhat of pity but she didn't let Kagome see it. "Would leaving really help?"

"No, no it wouldn't, I love him Sango and the thought of living with out him hurts worse that seeing him with Kikiyo any day. But that still hurts me just as well. No matter were I'm at I'll always be connected to him. Inuyasha it a part of my life and I don't think I could survive with out him in it, whether he's with me or with Kikiyo just having him in my life is all that matters but I hate feeling the heartache that come with it knowing that I want more than just his friendship and knowing that I'll never have it cause he still loves Kikiyo." Wiping the tears that were running down her face Kagome looked over at Sango waiting to see what she would say.

Sango gave a small smile as she gave Kagome a knowing look.

"I really do believe Inuyasha cares more for you than what you believe Kagome, he shows it everyday in the little things he does, you may not know it Kagome but Inuyasha does the things a male demon would do for a female they are hoping to court and intend to mate with someday. It is a male's role to prove to the female of his choice that he can be a good partner for her. He will try to prove that he can provide for her, as in food and other necessities. Inuyasha does this all the time, anytime you run out of food, he goes and hunts and brings his kills to you. And every time something happens to you, especially when Koga or another male is around, he is determined to be the one that saves you. He doesn't want Koga or any male interested in you to get the chance to do so. That's because he's trying to prove that he can protect you, as a good mate should do."

She was now facing forward when she heard a snort come from Kagome direction, looking over towards Kagome again, she saw Kagome look from her to back in front of her as she drew her knees up and warp her arms around them and let her chin rest on top on them.

"It's a little different in our situation Sango, We're traveling together to put the jewel back together, that Inuyasha never lets me forget, That I shattered. He only does this stuff because he needs me healthy cause I'm the only one beside Kikiyo who can see the shards and I'm not the only one Inuyasha does that stuff for either, he does it for you all as well not just me. Also as for the Koga thing he just doesn't want him to have his Jewel Shard detector. He probably doesn't even realize he doing any thing that would bring to mind that of a male demon trying to court a female would do."

"Kagome, if Inuyasha really did only think of you as a shard detector, He would have let Koga take you or let you return to your world a long time ago and had Kikiyo to join the group if that was the case. Yes Inuyasha does provide for us as well but not as much as he does so with you. You have to remember Kagome, Inuyasha is half Inu demon so he sees me, Kirara, Shippo and Miroku as pack mates just as well as he does you too. But unlike you, we are just that a pack to Inuyasha while he does protects us and everything, you are the one he takes care of the most, No male demon of any species, half or otherwise would ever do half of the stuff Inuyasha does for you unless the person they were doing that for was the one they chose to be their mate."

"Even If It Is true and he is trying to start a courtship Sango, It's not me he see when he does these things it Kikiyo, Kagome is invisible to him, nothing can come of it when one side of the party is living in a cloud of the past…noting can." There was a bitter note in her voice when she whispered this, one that troubled Sango very much so to no end.

"Have you really given up on Inuyasha, And on yourself Kagome? I'm worried about you -this really isn't like you. What's happing to you to make you lose all hope?

Kagome rose to her feet and made her way back to the camp site down below, but not before turning her head a little and letting a small weak smile appeared on her face as she gazed in Sango's eyes.

" I really don't know Sango, I really don't. Maybe I'm just coming to terms with reality I guess." And with that continued on her way knowing that her Sister's worry gaze followed her every step of the way.

-0-0-0-0-0

"Did you do your part of the plan Yamai?" A frighteningly smooth voice asked and the owner of the voiced gazed at the form of the large, muscular, fat demon that bowed in front of him. Smirking lightly to himself, he watched Yamai's tail twitch nervously under his cool icy gaze.

"All is going according to plan Master Naraku, the half breed is indisposed of for the time being and also the miko and her other two companions are headed towards Kunou and Bakeru as we speak." Sweat slowly made its way down the side of Yamai's head as his master's eyes continued to linger on him for a few more seconds before he slowly stood up from the mat he had been sitting on and made his way towards the eerie tainted light of a single shard of the Shikon Jewel, sitting on a small pedestal on the far side of the room.

"You have done well Yamai but your orders are not done yet. I have another job for you to do."

"What is it you wish of me to do Master? Join my brothers?"

"No Kunou and Bakeru are more then enough to finish what I have in store for Kagome, you've already done your part by leading Inuyasha away from Kagome and secretly spreading the disease of doubt in her mind strongly for me, now it is time for suffering and corruption to take hold of her mind. Then Kagome will truly be within the grasp of my hands and the Jewel will soon consume the bitterness and hatred from her heart as well as it will also bath in the deep abyss pools of Insanity that will be of her mind." Toying with the Jewel shard between his fingers Naraku turned towards Yamai and walked over to him.

"Take this shard and use it's power for the job I am sending you to do, your brothers have the rest of my shards using them to help boost their powers also, it seems only fair that you do so as well."

Taking the shard, Yamai could not help but sneer at the fact that he only got one shard while his brothers had almost the entire jewel in their hands. But he made sure Naraku didn't notice that look on his face from that thought.

"Again my Master what is it you wish for me to do?"

"Find Kikiyo and bring her to me, even though she is no threat to me she will play a very important part in my plans for Kagome."

Tail flickering with delight a sly smile came to Yamai's face as he slowly stood up to were he was staring directly into his Master's eyes, a dangerous glitter was seeping into his Smokey quartz red eyes.

" It shall be done Master Naraku." Yamai turned towards the door and made his way out, but the voice of Naraku halted him in his tracks.

"Yes Master?"

"Do not be gentle on my account, make sure Kikiyo's trip… is an… very unpleasant long journey here if you will." The sinister air that oozed out of those words made the grin on Yamai's face spread even wider than before.

"With pleasure Master."

0-0-0-0-0-0

The wind gave shrieking moan into the trees, Branches creaked as the tree's leaves slowly moved in the direction the wind pushed them. The moon shone brightly in the night sky as the small child sitting in the middle of the field looked up, her large brown eyes had a curious twinkle to them. She quickly got up, her checkered yukata full of flowers that she had been happily picking, and turned to the giant two-headed dragon demon sitting with her in the middle of the field.

"We should go back to Lord Sesshomaru, Ah-Un," Rin told the dragon demon, her voice was gentle. "He will not be happy if we come across some demons with him not around at this time of night."

Ah-Un nodded its two heads, and Rin climbed onto its back, making sure none of the flowers fell to the ground. She clutched the reins around Ah-Un's snout as it bent its scaly knees and took off into the air, soaring quickly but quietly toward the place where they had left their lord.

Sesshomaru was standing, still as a statue, in the middle of the forest. His face was its usual neutral mask, but the tension in his shoulders told a different story as his cold golden eyes searched the distant north. His imp retainer Jaken was hanging around his ankles, nervously holding his staff like it was a talisman to ward off evil. When he heard the soft whoosh of Ah-Un's approach, the imp turned around, and impatience clearly made its way into his buggy yellow eyes.

"Rin! Where have you been? How dare you make our lord wait for you when he has better things to do!" Jaken fumed, shaking a small fist in the girl's direction. "You should not be running around this time of night! What to you think our Lord is? A common nann-…."

"Jaken." Sesshomaru lifted his gaze from the horizon to glare at his retainer. Swallowing visibly, the imp turned to his lord. "Be silent," he commanded, his voice never rising above a calm, room-level volume. But as always, to Jaken it was more fearsome than the loudest roar any demon could give off. The imp muttered under his breath and turned away, sweat started beading down on his green brow. Sesshomaru then turned his eyes towards Rin.

"Rin apologizes for worrying you, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, bowing slightly as she apologized.

"Hn." Sesshomaru turned back to the north, eyes narrowing slightly as he scented the wind again. The sent of his Hanyou brother was there, but no scent of his pack was around him, which was….odd. But what really had him tensing was the scent of Naraku that was mixed into the wind as well, where Inuyasha was too.

"Is...is something bothering you, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked, mentally hoping he wasn't pushing his lord too much. Sesshomaru didn't speak for a few minutes. Then, just when Jaken was really starting to squirm, the current Inu no Taisho finally spoke. "Stay with Rin, Jaken, I shall be back in a few hours."

Before Jaken could question his lord about the order, Sesshomaru stepped forward, his long boa like tail twisting about his ankles as he took off into the air, sailing majestically into the north distance.

"Oh no! Wait-please wait, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried, darting forward but soon realizing it was futile. His shoulders sagged beneath the brown haori he wore as he turned back toward the dragon and girl who were watching him with an amusing look in their eyes. "Ohh," he sighed as he flopped down in front of the fire, the glow of the reddish-orange embers burned their refection into his yellowish buggy eyes as he stare at it from his spot. "Why doesn't he ever let me go with him anymore?"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Landing softly on the ground a few hours later, Sesshomaru gazed at the limp form of that which was his brother. He could see no injuries on him besides the rather large bump on the back of his head.

"Pathetic." Looking around Sesshomaru saw the earth tore up from Inuyasha's Wind Scar attack, So Inuyasha had done battle here, but there was no trace of another person being here beside the Stench that was of Naraku and some blood that sort of smelled like the spider hanyou but had its own scent as well any where around.

'So Naraku has a new minion? He has kept himself busy while he has been hiding, coward.'

Whatever kind of demon Inuyasha had fought here; it didn't need to use much force to take him out now did it? Glancing over to a spot, Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at seeing the start of the Wind Scar as it tore into the ground only to abruptly cut off. Walking over to the spot he could smell Disease and Illness lingering on the air. From that bit of information Sesshomaru could tell, that the demon could control Illness, if nothing else.

Walking back over to the Inu hanyou, Sesshomaru was curious as to why Inuyasha was away from his pack, and how one of Naraku's Demons could over power him so easily, but pushing those thoughts from his mind for the time being. He looked over the prone figure of Inuyasha and thought about easy it would be to kill his brother right here and there, but he knew it was a dishonorable thing to do so, plus he wanted the joy of ending his brothers life in combat not while he was unable to defend himself. Needing answers and not wanting to be too far away from his ward for too long, He sneered to himself as he roughly lifted his half brother up by his haori, Glancing over at the sword that laid next to were Inuyasha had been, and knowing that he could not touch it, he grimaced to himself as he toss Inuyasha back down and use his brother's hand to grab the sword and put it back in the sword sheath at Inuyasha's side. Then picked Inuyasha back up again and took of into the air.

'This Sesshomaru will get answers from you little brother make no mistake about that, and more so what is Naraku is up to?'

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Four Days Later…

The day was beautiful, high clouds were occasionally passing over the sun; the air was cool but yet not too warm either.

And yet... They felt sick and uneasy to their stomachs.

Life seemed to flow on naturally around the village, but once you stepped foot into to the village you could literary see, smell and sense death hanging in air. Bodies lay scattered across the ground; dried red blood covered the earth in a sickening sweet patterns as you could see it had been flung from far across were it had originally come from. Huts were destroyed and some still had smothering embers still burning from them.

Though few of the buildings had avoided destruction, when they glanced around for the people...they knew there wasn't a living person in sight. They had either died or fled the village long since now.

"So...should we perform last rites for the dead?" Sango asked, her voice unusually quiet.

Miroku nodded. "Not just for these people, though," he amended. "We shall also include those who died in the other villages, since it seems that this is the most recent village to have been attacked, that must mean the demon must no be far from here."

Sango nodded in agreement.

Kagome glanced her eyes over towards the two as she made her way past them.

"We best get started." She took a glance upward. "It's noon right now." She continued her way forward, Sango soon followed behind her shortly after.

They both spent some time scavenging for some shovels they could use. When they finally found some, she and Sango started widening a large hole they found in the Earth for a mass grave. While they did this, Miroku went around and started dragging the bodies of the slain into a straight line, murmuring prayers over each and every one as he did so.

Hours later after the moon had risen high in the sky they finished placing the last rock they found on the massive grave. Miroku gave one last final prayer to the dead before he turned around to the two women and neko demon behind him.

"I think we should rest here for the night, I don't very much like the thought of staying here in this village myself but after this long day I don't think I have it in me to try and find another camping spot."

"I agree, when me and Kagome where looking for some shovels, there was hut at the far end of the village that had not been destroy, from what I can tell it looked abandoned even before the village was attacked." Kirara mewed in agreement.

Turning his head slightly over towards Kagome, Miroku was about to ask her if she agreed with the plan, when suddenly she stiffened up and pointed east in front of her.

"I sense a bunch of shards heading this way and fast."

"Is it maybe Koga?" Sango ask as she got into a fighting stance along with Kagome and Miroku.

"No, I can now sense a very strong demonic aura coming this way and it's the very same as Naraku's." Miroku replied and he got his sutras and staff ready for battle.

Not even a moment later a rumble tore its way from the ground as rock and earth flew and made its way into the air as the creature made it's way from underground.

Having shielded their eyes when the ground explosion had happen the trio slowly moved their hands from in front of their faces as they looked at the demon standing in front of them.

Standing a good 8 to 9 feet tall in front of them was a dark gray-scaled demon. (He resembles Yamai but there will be a few things different about him like his height, he is about 2 to 3 feet taller than Yamai though I'll give details.) He was large and muscular; on each side of his head were large horns that curled inward like that of a ram. And along the bottom of his jaw line on each side of his face were three small squat horns. He was broad in proportion of the shoulders and had knots of hairy muscles on his massive long arms that stood out like boles of tormented old trees. His tail was overly long and looked like it spilt into two at the end, a horn curved outward on each tail end to look like that of a scorpion. The only thing that covered him was a brown loincloth that warped around his waist and cover the front and back of his lower section. To some they might think he was ugly be he was far from it, no this demon…this demon horrendous.

"Well, Well, Well," The demon purred as one of his large claw like hands moved upward to scratch a spot on his chest. "Hello Kagome it nice to finally get meet you, I've heard much about you. I was starting to lose my patients of getting to see you, but now that you're here, I don't have to worry about that do I?"

Kagome face took on a look of shock but before she could answer Miroku stepped in.

"How do you know who Lady Kagome is and just who are you demon? Your demonic aura is the same as Naraku's, you must be a new incarnation of his cause there is no other way you would share the same aura if you wasn't." The staff in Miroku's hand jingled as he pointed it in the direction of the demon before him. Kirara roared in agreement having transformed into her larger form the moment everyone had took notice of the demon approaching.

Chuckling to him self the demon ignored Miroku's questions as he continued to stare at the battle ready Kagome standing a little ways behind Miroku. He had a certain look in his eyes that set Kagome off.

"What's the matter little miko? Cat got your tongue? Or do you just let others answer and speak your questions for you? …Hmm Yes, You really are delicious looking aren't you? Far better than what Master Naraku described when he gave details of you yes?" The Demon's orange forked tongue slithered it way out of his mouth to lick his pale gray lips as a substantial amount of drool made it's way down his chin.

It didn't go pass the Demon's attention as he took in the disgusted looks that passed across Kagome's face and the faces of her two humans and neko demon companions either at his words and all that did was make a satisfied fang-baring grin slide on to his horrendous face as the saliva continued to seep threw his teeth and down on to his all ready drool cover chin.

"Answer the Monks question demon! Who are you and what business does Naraku have here with ordering you to destroy these villages and kill all these innocents lives?! We also know you have in your possession quite a few jewel shards that are no doubt the ones Naraku has gathered just what is that slimy bastard of a Master of your up to!" Weilding the Hirakotsu ready to strike Sango, not once took her eyes off the demon.

Giving a glance over to Sango the demon just smiled wider as he stood up a little more taller and in a mocking way gave a slight bow toward them as he spoke.

" I am Bakeru Demon of Corruption, I taint the body, mind and soul of all those around me and I take great joy and mind numbing pleasure in doing so.


End file.
